In Pakistan, due to the traditional social mindset, women are not allowed to earn and are supposed to get married at a very early age because it is believed that her future household needs more of her attention "inside" rather than her serving "outside". Due to intense family pressure and various social factors combined, she is forced into wedlock, and expected to give all of her time and energy to her husband and children who eventually become her prime responsibility. Contrarily, if she chooses to oppose the social norms and becomes a ‘career-oriented woman’, seeking a viable financial position in the society, her relatives, especially her parents, give her life time harangues, forcing her to change her decisions.

Besides other reasons that may contribute, one of the main factors that is responsible for this type of arrangement is the fear of 'empowered women' (that is the ideology against which all misogynists oppose feminists) and their enhanced ability to fight for their rights. Our society does not want to see women getting empowered and enlightened, breaking the existing glass ceilings that hinder their growth and advancement. It still believes in that old cliché "a woman's place is in the home" and admits that "she just belongs in there". It seems distasteful and against the existing social mores if she steps out and earn for her a livelihood. By doing this, they believe, she gets emancipated and becomes capable of giving a tough time to her husband who has been considered the sole breadwinner and expected to acquire a stronger position than his wife.

In a patria potestas setup as that of Pakistan, the domestic violence and other gender based issues consistently emerge because majority of the men perceive that women are dependent on them for social and economic security. Given their "enhanced" social position, men assume themselves as "subjects", and consider women as "objects" whom they regard weak and inferior. They are found to beat their wives brazenly, deprive them of basic needs and deny them the required social protection if they act wisely to defend themselves against anything that challenges their peaceful existence. If a woman is more educated than her husband and brings more prosperity to the family, it leaves her husband into inferiority complex, that eventually hurts his ego. This results in a full-fledged disaster. Being utterly vindictive and vengeful against her wife, he tests her patience through harassment and molestation, impelling her to either leave the job or give all of her earnings to him. If she refuses to behave likewise, the threat of "divorce" hangs over her head like the Sword of Damocles while she is being coerced to find the middle ground to keep herself into wedlock.

Unfortunately, in our country, women have failed to secure financial stability owing to the widespread misogyny and ubiquitous orthodox culture that considers her existence within four walls which if she ever dares to break, gets awarded with the gift of "divorce" or "separation" that ultimately close all the doors of "social acceptance" upon her.

There is a saying that, "an empowered woman, who knows her rights, is a threat to male dominion". I think our society makes every effort to make sure it does not happen and continues to maintain the culture of patriarchy, undermining the strength and potentialities of women.